For a few days, Italian motor racing can dream. On the eve of the Monaco Grand Prix (the race that was not scheduled to be held in the Principality, but will be on Sunday, May 19, 1985), two Italian drivers are leading the World Championship. Elio De Angelis in a Lotus and Michele Alboreto in a Ferrari lead the standings after three races (Brazil, Portugal and San Marino) with 16 and 12 points respectively. They are followed by regular driver Patrick Tambay with 10 points and Alain Prost and Ayrton Senna, tied with 9 points. It is the first time in thirty-two years that two Italians are in this position. It doesn't mean much because the season is still long, but it is the confirmation of a school that has produced a lot in recent times, but. honestly, harvested very little. To say what and how much chance De Angelis or Alboreto have to win the title is more than difficult. The only thing we can say is that it depends less on them than on the competitiveness of their cars and a little bit of luck, which is needed more than ever in a sport where a few drops of fuel can decide the outcome of a very tough race. In any case, it is interesting and fascinating to think that these two drivers, with completely different backgrounds and skills, could be fighting at the top, one against the other, in a challenge that could become historic. On the one hand, a concrete young man, Michele Alboreto, who grew up in sacrifice, who climbed the ladder of success step by step, who arrived at Ferrari thanks to a strong will and a few victories (with Tyrrell) conquered with courage.
On the other hand, a young man from the upper middle class, born into a wealthy family, who managed to make it on his own, even emigrating to Lotus, in England, to find a competitive team. The stories of Michele and Elio start from distant points, then cross paths and separate again to meet again in this possible challenge. Alboreto, the polite young man who has to rely on the help of some friends to get ahead. And in the meantime, the engagement with Nadia Astorri and then marriage, a quiet life within the confines of numerous commitments. De Angelis, an offshore champion father, the jet set, the resources at his disposal, Latin charm, beautiful girls, music with a passion for the piano. But also the struggle to prove that he does not need support, that he can do everything on his own, with results. The arrival in an English team that prefers a local driver, which does not favor him. And then, just when he seemed to have found his place in the sun, another plunge into reality with the flanking of the Brazilian Ayrton Senna, whom everyone already considered a phenomenon. Alboreto and De Angelis are not friends, just like Patrese and Cheever or De Cesaris and Baldi. In other words, they don't hang out together outside of racing. Formula One is an individual sport, there is no room for a minimum of depth of feeling. It may arouse esteem or respect in those who intimately recognize that their rival is stronger. But there is no trace of this kind of recognition in the official statements. Alboreto can say that De Angelis is good, or vice versa. Nothing more. In fact, sometimes something emerges that is certainly not hatred, but not even sympathy. Someone compared Alboreto and De Angelis to former or current champions. The two prefer to have no reference points, to be just themselves. The Ferrari driver says that he races mainly to win races:
"Better to win many races than a title with placings".
The Lotus driver is thinking about the world championship and does not hide it. Perhaps this philosophy is the biggest difference between the two protagonists at the start of the Formula 1 season. At the moment, however, both are probably dreaming of the same goal: to fight at the top of the championship until the end.
"Starting tomorrow we will have some nice sunny days. For Sunday, I see a duel between Senna and Alboreto".
So says the lawyer Michel Boeri, president of the A.C. of Monaco, the Grand Prix that the International Federation wanted to cancel and that until the last moment had been removed from the calendar of the Formula 1 World Championship, the race is held regularly and the fact is already a source of satisfaction for the organizers. Perhaps it is this enthusiasm that makes the sun shine even when the mountains overlooking the Principality are covered in dark clouds.
Even the supposed challenge between the Brazilian Lotus and the Italian Ferrari does not seem to have aroused the public's interest: while in previous years the Monaco Grand Prix was sold out on the eve of the event, this time there are still many tickets available, a sign that the controversy and uncertainty surrounding the Grand Prix have left their mark. And, staying with the meteorology, it seems that some thunderstorms may arrive during the race. As you may recall, the 1984 Monaco Grand Prix was held under torrential rain and was interrupted by race director Jacky Ickx just as Senna was about to join Prost. The Belgian has the same responsibility again this year and has already said that he would do the same in a similar situation. Rain or shine, Lotus' South American is the man to beat. Says Michele Alboreto:
"Senna is a bad customer, but it is the others that worry me. I still consider the McLaren men as favorites. Prost and Lauda".
And Ferrari?
"We could win at Imola and I think we have a chance here. Personally, I like this track. In fact, I like it too much, so much so that I often tend to exaggerate. I will have to concentrate very hard. In any case, we are fighting for first place".
Stefan Johansson is also optimistic.
"I don't know the track very well. I only raced at Monte-Carlo twice in Formula 3, in 1977 when Pironi won ahead of De Angelis. I was fourth. The following year I retired with a mechanical problem. I don't feel particularly responsible for a good race at Imola. I always try to do my best, even without an extra push. For me qualifying will be very important, a race within the race. First I have to win the time trial, then we'll see. It is crucial to start from the front of the grid, because you cannot hope to recover from fifteenth place. Fortunately, there should be no problems with fuel consumption".
There are also no major news, except for the debut of the Toleman with Teo Fabi. After testing the car at Le Castellet, the Italian says that the single-seater seems competitive to him. Meanwhile, for the first time this season, six drivers will be left out of the race, as only twenty cars will be allowed to compete, as usual. On the technical side, all the cars have been adapted to the characteristics of the circuit. On Wednesday, rumors circulated about two of the most prominent teams. It seems that Ron Dennis, together with other partners, sold his shares in McLaren to the Arab financier Mansour Ojjeh for 11.000.000 dollars. The latter would become the owner. Lotus, which does not have great financial resources, would also be for sale. But this does not cause any difficulties for the drivers. So much so that on Thursday, May 16, 1985, Ayrton Senna continued to break records. Even on the Monte Carlo circuit, where only the champions manage to stand out and the driver at least has a glove on the car, the Brazilian of Lotus beats everyone in the first qualifying round for the Monaco Grand Prix. The Brazilian drove a perfect lap in 1'21"630, with an average speed of 146.063 km/h, and the track record collapsed. Traveling at such speeds on these narrow roads is no mean feat. But with the exception of Ayrton Senna, all the drivers put on a show, with passes just millimeters from the guardrails, controlled swerving, braking to the limit. The result was an hour of high tension, full of emotion and surprises. The most notable of these was Riccardo Patrese's second place in the Alfa Romeo, ahead of Prost's McLaren and Alboreto's Ferrari. The Italian driver thus confirmed his good moment of form and the progress of the car, which can be explained by the adoption of a new integral electronic injection and the fact that this relatively slow circuit can benefit a single-seater that normally has aerodynamic problems.
"I was lucky because I immediately found a good lap without any traffic. The car is good and so a very good time came out".
Ayrton Senna and Riccardo Patrese are practically the only ones not to complain about the circuit, which makes it very difficult to overtake even slow drivers who get in the way. What is behind Alfa Romeo's leap forward?
"Nothing special, we worked and here are the first results. The hour and a half of testing in the morning went without the slightest inconvenience, so I was able to tune my car well. The engine is now very smooth and the track seems to suit the characteristics of the car, which also has a new, larger rear wing. I hope this is not an isolated case. We should also improve on the other tracks. I could be faster here too. When we pushed the turbochargers to the limit, I realized that the gear ratios were too short and I could not make an immediate change. So I kept coming back to the rev limiter. I am still happy, although I think it will be difficult to keep second place tomorrow because the track will be faster”.
If Riccardo Patrese is happy, Michele Alboreto is not:
"I couldn't complete a single lap without a mishap. And I have to say that I had a lot of them, because the tires allowed me to. I always came across an obstacle, a car that was going at a walking pace in places where I couldn't overtake".
The Italian driver speaks of a competitive Ferrari that would certainly have allowed him to do more. The same cannot be said for Stefan Johansson, tenth, who had problems with the carbon brakes that made his car unbalanced, with the set-up causing him to understeer and then oversteer. In any case, watching the Ferraris pass each other at the crucial points of the circuit, it was noticeable that the Maranello cars vibrate unevenly at the rear under acceleration. Perhaps the engine power is not being transferred to the ground in the right way, or the set-up is not ideal. The McLaren also had some problems, as Prost was busy correcting his trajectory in different ways depending on the tires he had on. Lauda crashed into a kerb and the rebound of the steering wheel gave him a bruised thumb. Nothing serious. The Austrian is not looking for excuses. Making progress, but still not perfect, was the Ligier that De Cesaris drove to eighth place. The French car has undergone a slimming treatment (35kg less) but has not yet found good stability. De Angelis was delayed by traffic (11th), Rosberg continued to break the turbines of his Williams-Honda. The main difference between the Monaco Grand Prix and other Formula One World Championship races is that this race has a rest day between qualifying sessions. The break allows the engineers and drivers to meditate on the results of the first day and try to recover on the second. Yesterday's work was intense for all the teams, with special efforts from Brabham (Piquet even went to the nearby Le Castellet circuit to test his car), Lotus, McLaren, Ferrari and Alfa Romeo. On Saturday, May 18, 1985, Ayrton Senna will try to defend his lead, while all the others will try to improve their performance and thus their starting position, which is decisive for the race. An attentive observer of all the phases of a Grand Prix has always been Jackie Stewart, three-time World Champion, a man of great intelligence who, at the end of a long and illustrious career, has managed to maintain an exceptional charisma. His opinions are also taken into account by experienced men like Niki Lauda.
"Unless something unforeseen happens, I think Senna has a great chance of winning the Monaco Grand Prix. He has a very good car that Gérard Ducarouge has made with a lot of ingenuity, but above all he can be considered the biggest favorite because of what he has shown at the beginning of the season".
Stewart, it is clear from his words, considers the Brazilian to be the best rider to come out of the spotlight in recent years:
"The kid has many talents. First of all a great natural talent. Then a good maturity, despite being young and inexperienced. And he knows how to use his brain. But I think his best weapon is his sensitivity as a rider".
And he adds:
"People think that a racing car can only be driven to the limit with courage, heart and a heavy foot on the accelerator. Instead, it is always the head that is right. I can compare Senna to Fangio, Clark, Moss and Lauda, with an even stronger temperament".
As for Ayrton Senna's likely rivals in the fight for the title, Stewart mentions Alain Prost and Michele Albereto (by the way, there is talk of Ferrari's strong interest in him, to the point where some swear that the boy will be behind the wheel of a Maranello car in 1986).
"The Frenchman is certainly an outstanding driver. But it seems to me that he has less feeling than Senna. Albereto is a very good driver, but he still needs a season of racing to get to the top. He has an iron will, a determination not to be underestimated".
On to the teams. The Scot always puts McLaren first:
"I am convinced that it is the best team at the moment, as a whole: from the organization to the drivers, from the engine to the chassis. Races are also won with perfect management of the resources at your disposal".
The fourth Formula 1 Grand Prix of the season should be a very special race, the kind that keeps you in suspense until the last moment and the last meter. On Saturday, at the end of the second practice session, five cars were bunched within 0.4 seconds of each other and an incredible carousel on the track could not give a true picture of what had happened. An hour full of emotion and controversy. The animator and absolute protagonist, once again, is the young Brazilian Ayrton Senna, who did everything on the difficult Monte Carlo circuit: the best time (1'20"450, with an average of 148.206 km/h, the official record), spins in the first laps, a fight with Michele Alboreto and blocking against other opponents in the last part of the practice. Ayrton Senna is happy to start from pole position, but that does not mean that the Brazilian is quiet. The Lotus driver is determined to keep the pole position (which is worth a lot of money to the team, as there is a $15,000 prize for the best time) at all costs, even listening to the suggestions of Peter Warr, the sporting director, and Gerard Ducarouge, the technical director, who are certainly no slouches.
"I am afraid of Nigel Mansell. Having him on my side makes me afraid of an accident in the first corner. I can't let him get away because it's too important here not to overtake, to overtake, but the Englishman is not the type to give up, maybe he'll try to overtake me even if I start better than him. I have to be very careful because you can ruin everything in a few meters".
As for the race, the Brazilian believes that the Lotus will be able to hold off all its rivals. But the possible course of the race will not only be influenced by the start, but also by the choice of tires and the set-up of the cars. For this reason, Alain Prost is quite confident.
"At McLaren, we have an extra weapon. Our carbon brakes are double caliper and cool better. We should have no problems. While the others will either risk it or go back to metal disks".
Behind the terrible Brazilian Lotus driver (third pole position in a row) follows the courageous Nigel Mansell in the Williams: the Englishman is really enjoying himself in Monte-Carlo. Then, in a row, Michele Alboreto in the Ferrari, an excellent Eddie Cheever in the Alfa Romeo, Alain Prost in the McLaren and the Belgian Thierry Boutsen at the wheel of the Arrows. Says Eddie Cheever with a big smile, maybe because he overtook his team mate Riccardo Patrese:
"I have no uncertainties. I have already made my choice. The Alfa Romeo is running well now: I am not saying that we can win, but I hope to have a good race. Here you have to drive well, be very careful and avoid overloading the car's mechanics. A cautious tactic, within the limits of what is possible, should pay off".
It has been a long time since we have seen such a balance between six different teams and this is a sign of an uncertain and hard-fought race. Without looking for excuses, the only one who can complain about this grid is Ferrari. Alboreto had set an exceptional time of 1'20"205 in the morning, a result that the Italian driver, despite his efforts, was unable to match.
"If Senna wasn't in my way, I could do 1'19"8".
So what happened? Well, let's go back and review the entire record of the last hour of practice. When it's just a few moments before 13:00, the Ferrari box is swarming. Michele Alboreto's morning time attracts a multitude of curious onlookers. The fateful hour of the last timed practice passed and the situation did not improve: journalists, guests (among them the young Giovanni Agnelli, son of Umberto), sympathizers (Didier Pironi with glazed eyes) and the company outnumbered the technicians and mechanics. The hour in the Ferrari pit starts with Stefan Johansson, who has been in the car for quite a while. Michele Alboreto, on the other hand, arrives at the last minute, gets into the #27 car and drives off. The Swede waits patiently for his moment, while a wing is repaired with tape. All around, despite the crazy noise and earplugs, there is no end to the hustle and bustle. After seven minutes Michele Alboreto arrives with the second best time. Stefan finally starts while the mechanics pour cold water on Michele's steaming tires. At 1:12 p.m. Stefan Johansson is seen again, he is talking to Antonio Tomaini, they change his ECU ("carburetor too fat at idle"). Michele Alboreto restarts, Stefan Johansson immediately after, and the Italians in the stands are already rejoicing: the #27 car has set the best time, 1'21"438. No champagne is opened in the pit, the satisfaction is contained. Michele Alboreto returns to the pits at 1:18 p.m. to change tires. Stefan Johansson also returns to the pits, in a good mood: he complains about the traffic, they wet his tires, take away his fuel, replace a radiator because of an oil leak. The two restart after Ayrton Senna sets the fastest lap at exactly half an hour. Michele Alboreto's pole position lasted 16 minutes. The Italian driver immediately improved and was second again, then Nigel Mansell overtook him. At 1:40 p.m., Stefan Johansson returns to the pits, shakes his head in front of Tomaini's goggles and puts on softer tires. Alboreto also prepares for the final sprint, letting his tires cool down. But at 1:47 p.m., just before the pit, at the exit of the Rascasse, there is an accident between Johansson and Fabi: the Toleman is slower, wide, on the left, Johansson tries to improve his position, he tries to pass by grazing the guardrail. The blond Swede is unhurt, but the car is damaged, Stefan rushes back to the pits, gets into the spare car, but for him the practice is over. Alboreto, on the other hand, tries again in the last five minutes after putting on two used front tires. At the end of the hour he is still in third place. Not bad at all. But Michele didn't seem to think so: he pushed into the pit and jumped out of the car screaming:
"Senna is an idiot. He is an unsportsmanlike idiot. After setting the fastest time, all he cared about was slowing down the others. He drove slowly on the slow track and accelerated on the straights. I found him in front of me six times and he always blocked me. In the last lap I forced him to go long at Rascasse. He risked everyone's life for pole position. He may be fast, but he'll never be a real champion: someone with that kind of head won't go the distance. Also because this time I sent him out in second, but I swear next time I'll send him out in fifth".
Then he goes to the paddock at a good pace, gives autographs, but doesn't calm down until he has relaxed for about ten minutes on the bus. Niki Lauda and Alain Prost also join the accusations against Ayrton Senna. Alboreto adds:
"In front of what Senna did, I feel bad as a man. In the end, I didn't tell him anything because he will have problems with his conscience. He can only be ashamed. This sport is not for cheating others".
But nothing is lost: with these two in front, the public will have something to enjoy already in the first corner.
"I'll be II behind, I'll try to make them nervous, to force them to pull and to make mistakes. I'll be honest: I don't think that either the rider or Mansell can go all the way on this track".
Above all, the traffic on the track (which was also the case for De Angelis, Rosberg and Patrese) did not allow the Italian to make the most of the qualities of a car that is competitive at the moment, as demonstrated by the very fast lap set in free practice. The other driver of the Maranello team, Stefan Johansson, only set the fifteenth best time, just like in Imola. The Swede does not know the track and that is a big problem. In addition, Johansson was not helped by good luck: he had chosen a first set of harder tires in order to set up his car well. When he went out on the track with soft tires suitable for qualifying, he had an accident with Teo Fabi. A bent suspension and the need to take the spare car, which was certainly not up to the level of the other one. Stefan Johansson will have to spend another day chasing, as he did at the San Marino Grand Prix, if he wants to get a good result. But the Swede knows that it will not be possible to repeat the feat of Imola, when he went from fifteenth to first place.
"I cannot deceive myself, because overtaking is prohibitive here. But I promise that I will at least try to finish. My Ferrari is running well in race trim and that allows me to at least hope for a good result".
Also missing from the list is Elio De Angelis, who has been plagued by a series of mishaps. The Italian was ninth fastest and never completed a lap without traffic. His Lotus reported an irregular engine running and a differential problem. Riccardo Patrese, Nelson Piquet and Niki Lauda also dropped down the order from twelfth to fourteenth place for different reasons. The Italian Alfa Romeo driver wore out his tires in a vain attempt to confirm Thursday's magnificent second place.
"It only took a few minutes and ten people passed me. I always found a lot of traffic on the track".
The Brazilian drives a Brabham that is too long for this track. The Austrian, World Champion, gives the impression of being nauseated by Formula 1 again, as in the days of his resounding retirement in Canada in 1979. It is not very exciting to see him driving with the caution of a scared rookie. It was a black day for the small Italian teams. Minardi and Osella did not manage to enter the catwalk of the world, the Monaco Grand Prix. The worst was for the team from Romagna. After completing only one lap on Thursday due to an engine failure, Pierluigi Martini had set off confidently in the morning practice with the rebuilt car. Entering the fast St. Devote chicane, the Italian crashed into the barrier, suffering a minor injury and a bruised left knee.
"I braked and as soon as I lifted my foot I inexplicably lost control of the car. The impact was very violent, so much so that both suspensions bent to the left and one wheel also damaged the chassis and the cockpit, hitting me in the leg".
It is obvious that Minardi, with only one car available and the driver out of action, could not participate in the qualifying. Nevertheless, the man to beat in the race was the phenomenal Ayrton Senna. But even for the Brazilian, racing on a track where every meter is a risk, where overtaking is prohibitive, is like playing roulette. And the numbers of Nigel Mansell, Michele Alboreto and Alain Prost can come out.
And even that of a surprise outsider. On Sunday, May 19, 1985, before the start of the Monaco Grand Prix, Patrick Tambay decided to start the race with the reserve car equipped with the older Renault EF14 bis engine; Elio De Angelis also opted for a Renault engine of the same type, replacing the new EF15. At the start, Ayrton Senna managed to resist the attack of Nigel Mansell, followed by Michele Alboreto, Alain Prost and Eddie Cheever. In the middle of the group, Gerhard Berger missed the start. To avoid a collision, Stefan Johansson hits Patrick Tambay, who in turn hits Gerhard Berger's car. The latter two immediately retired from the race, while Stefan Johansson retired shortly afterwards with a damaged suspension. At the end of the second lap, Michele Alboreto overtook Nigel Mansell, who he attacked at St. Devote, to take second place. At the end of the same lap, the Briton relinquished third place to Alain Prost on the home straight. On the next lap, Eddie Cheever also managed to pass Nigel Mansell, who was struggling with brake problems, and was also overtaken by Elio De Angelis and Keke Rosberg. In fact, the Alfa Romeo driver's race ended on lap eight when he was forced to return to the pits due to an alternator failure. Once in the pits, pushed by the marshals to reach the team pit lane, Eddie Cheever even managed to restart the race before retiring on lap 10 due to the alternator failure. By lap 10, Ayrton Senna was leading the field, less than two seconds ahead of Michele Alboreto. Alain Prost was eight seconds behind, Elio De Angelis was fourth, more than 16 seconds behind Keke Rosberg and Nigel Mansell. The Brazilian of Lotus was forced to retire on lap 14 with an engine failure. The engine was probably ruined by an off-lap during the warm-up. During the seventeenth lap, Nelson Piquet attacked Riccardo Patrese on the pit straight: at the first brake, the two cars came into contact. Piquet hit the barriers with his front suspension, while Patrese hit the barriers with his nose. The Italian's Alfa Romeo bounced back and hit the Brazilian's. The Brabham was also engulfed in flames, but without any consequences for the drivers.
Teo Fabi, who was following the two, managed to pass unharmed, while Jacques Laffite was the author of a spin, without consequences. Michele Alboreto, who was on the verge of overtaking, found himself in a precarious situation. The car of the Italian driver slipped on the oil lost by the car of Riccardo Patrese, allowing Alain Prost to take the lead. Shortly afterwards, where the presence of oil had not been reported, Niki Lauda also lost control of his car and crashed into the barriers. The Austrian was forced to retire. Michele Alboreto immediately started to chase Alain Prost and was less than a second behind the Frenchman, who was slowed down by turbo problems. When Alain Prost lost a gear on lap 24, Michele Alboreto was back in the lead. Behind the first two is Elio De Angelis, then Keke Rosberg, Andrea De Cesaris, Derek Warwick and Nigel Mansell. Keke Rosberg, like his team-mate Nigel Mansell, was slowed by a brake problem and had to give up his position to Andrea De Cesaris and Derek Warwick. On lap 32, Michele Alboreto hit the kerb at Loews and suffered a slow puncture, forcing him to change tires. The Italian falls back to fourth position. The chase starts again. On lap 39, Michele Alboreto overtook De Cesaris at Mirabeau, while Alain Prost solved his turbo problems and was able to control his car's handling more easily.On lap 47, Keke Rosberg gave up his position to Nigel Mansell. A few laps later, the Finn pitted and dropped out of the top six. Meanwhile, Michele Alboreto continues to make good time, gaining several seconds on Elio De Angelis. Now behind his compatriot, the two avoided contact with Jonathan Palmer, who had spun. Then Michele Alboreto passed De Angelis in the St. Devote corner. In the last laps of the race, rain appeared on the track. This forces the riders to slow down. Elio De Angelis slows down more than the others due to a brake problem. On lap 75, Nigel Mansell spun out of the tunnel. Fortunately, his car did not touch the barriers and the driver was able to continue. Two laps later, the Briton lost his position to Jacques Laffite. Alain Prost wins the Monaco Grand Prix, followed by Michele Alboreto and Elio De Angelis. Andrea De Cesaris finished fourth, ahead of Derek Warwick and Jacques Laffite.
"It is not enough to have the best car to win".
This was the laconic comment of Piero Lardi Ferrari, son of the Modenese constructor, at the end of an exciting Grand Prix in which Alain Prost took an easy victory, while Alboreto was the protagonist of a beautiful race that only allowed him a difficult second place. In fact, the Ferrari was the fastest car on the difficult circuit of the Principality, with a whole series of results to prove it.
From the fastest lap to a whole series of laps that were significantly faster than all the other competitors. When you consider that the Italian driver practically stopped twice, the first time when he ran off the road due to the oil thrown up by the cars involved in the accident between Nelson Piquet and Riccardo Patrese, where his stop lasted at least ten seconds, and the second time when he stopped to change a flat tire in the pit box (a slowdown paid for with over 40 seconds), you can understand that the single-seater #27 could very well have fought for first place. The gap between Prost and Alboreto at the finish was 7.541 seconds. But that was not enough. The Frenchman arrived at the finish line without fuel and on the verge of engine failure. In fact, it seems that a pipe had broken on the Allo circuit and the McLaren was already smoking conspicuously. In any case, it is pointless to play the blame game, racing is like that, with sometimes disappointing results, although a second place in Monte-Carlo can always be considered a positive result. But Ferrari also had Johansson involved in an accident at the start and this lack of success cannot please them. The only really positive fact of the day was the placing of the Italian drivers, with three men in the first four places behind Prost. From Alboreto to De Angelis to De Cesaris, it was a perfect race, with different styles and different cars, but with the same goal, to get to the top. Michele Alboreto was clearly better, perhaps he had the best race of his life, but modestly he says:
"My commitment is always the same, everything depends on what the car can do. If the car allows it, I don't feel inferior to anyone and I try to overtake, which is on the limit, but always rational, always with a clear presence of the head and not just the foot on the accelerator. I took a bit of a risk with Prost. It was perhaps the most difficult moment of the race, when I took advantage of a mistake by the Frenchman, and I had some frightening moments with De Cesaris in the Mirabeau hairpin, when I got on his inside because otherwise I would have been too many laps behind. Otherwise it was a great effort in terms of concentration and determination. I hope to be able to repeat this in other races, but above all I hope not to be subjected to what is now becoming a habit. I have already finished second three times. It's time to win".
The fireworks that marked the end of the classic post-Grand Prix gala lit up the happy faces of Alain Prost and Michele Alboreto on Sunday evening. The two rivals were celebrated by the guests, who showered them with compliments. A short break before diving back into practice. On Tuesday, May 21, 1985, most of the teams (including McLaren and Ferrari) tested their tires on the Le Castellet circuit. However, thoughts were already turning to the Belgian Grand Prix, the fifth race of the season, to be held on Sunday, June 2, 1985. Says Michele Alboreto:
"It's a fast track that I like very much and where Ferrari should have no particular problems. Where I hope to finally get a win. This story of the eternal second is starting to get on my nerves. It is better to end it now, otherwise it becomes a nightmare. We have a very competitive car".
Indeed, the 156/85 proved to be the fastest and most reliable car on the difficult Monaco circuit. A single-seater with which you can aim to win the world championship. Best time in practice (even if only in the free practice on Saturday morning), best lap in the race. If you consider that Alboreto lost about fifty seconds between the time he went off the track after the accident with Nelson Piquet and Riccardo Patrese and the pit stop to change the punctured tire, you can imagine that Ferrari could have beaten Prost's McLaren. It is true that the tire change may have benefited the Italian rider, who was able to force the pace. However, it should be noted that the second set of tires was of a harder compound (type A) for safety reasons and that Michele Alboreto set the lap record with 1'22"637. Furthermore, the McLaren could hardly have gone faster than it did, as Alain Prost arrived at the finish line with a completely empty fuel tank.
"In any case, you can not recriminate, now you have to attack above all".
Michele Alboreto is determined and ready to fight for the title. However, he will need the help of Johansson, who has not yet been able to take any points from the Italian's direct rivals. The Swede has highlighted shortcomings in qualifying and the set-up of his car, and has also been unlucky. Just as it was not appropriate to give him too much credit for the good race he had in Imola, it is not appropriate to throw him under the bus now. It is necessary to wait some more time to get a real idea of his value.